Represents the Japanese character 'Mu' (six)

The relationship between "Alessi," a purveyor of modern and luxurious design products, and architect Toyo Ito, a recipient of the 2010 Praemium Imperiale, dates back to 2005. Their first collaboration was the "KAERU" mocha cup and saucer, featuring a frog perched on the cup, designed for the "Tea & Coffee Towers" project, where 22 world-renowned architects designed tea and coffee sets. In 2006, they launched the "KU" series, the first tableware set designed by a Japanese architect. The "MU" cutlery series, introduced now, was designed to complement the "KU" series.




The cutlery, designed to match the "KU" bowls—characterized by their delicate texture, sharp silhouette, and beautiful, upturned rims—features a hexagonal cross-section on the handle. The series name "MU" is derived from the Japanese word for 'six.' The handles are slim, exuding a sense of perfect balance.


Toyo Ito on Forms Linked to Architecture

At the ALESSI luncheon, Toyo Ito remarked, "Unlike architecture, product design is determined by usability. However, when I first worked on 'Tea & Coffee Towers,' I designed 'KAERU' based on 'ripples,' a concept central to my design philosophy.

Next, Alberto [Alessi] approached me for a series of plates, and for the 'KU' tableware set, I focused on a design that expanded upwards.

And for this cutlery, being Western and different from Japanese chopsticks, it was the most challenging. As you can see from the study models on display, the initial prototypes had a softer, more organic design than the final product. As the design evolved, it gradually became more solid, and the slightly flattened hexagonal cross-section of the handle is also linked to architecture," he explained.



The "MU" cutlery series shares a similar form with the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari, located in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture (http://www.tima-imabari.jp/). Its unprecedented hexagonal shape pioneers a richer future for cutlery design.